1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical waveguide display, and more particularly, to an optical waveguide display having an embedded light source, whereby, since the light source is embedded in a display panel, optical loss is reduced, the size of the outward shape of the display is reduced, the display is able to withstand a large amount of shock from the outside, and gray scale levels can be easily controlled.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows a conventional optical waveguide display. In the structure of the conventional optical waveguide display, a light generated by a light source 10 is transmitted to an optical waveguide (not shown) of an optical waveguide display panel 14 by a light incidence device 12. The light incidence device 12, which is an optical device for directing the light generated by the light source 10 to the optical waveguide, includes various parts such as a lens, a prism, a spectroscope, and a filter.
In the conventional optical waveguide display, the light generated by the light source 10 is transmitted to the optical waveguide through the air since the light source 10 is located outside the optical waveguide display panel 14. Accordingly, light is lost due to a long light transmitting path. When physical shock is applied to such a complicated optical device, which includes the light source 10 and the light incidence device 12, the characteristic of the display may vary.
The light source 10 and the light incidence device 12 enlarge the outward shape of the display, cannot withstand a large amount of shock, and are difficult to manufacture. Furthermore, in order to obtain gray scale levels on the display, the amount of light which arrives at a pixel must be controlled by deviating some of the light inside the optical waveguide. In this case, the external surface of the optical waveguide must be coated with an electrooptics material, and an electrode for controlling the amount of the light deviation must be included. Therefore, manufacturing processes are complicated and selection of materials is restricted.
To solve the above problem, it is an object of the present invention to provide an optical waveguide display having an embedded light source, whereby, since the light source is embedded in a display panel, optical loss is reduced, the size of the outward shape of the display is reduced, the display is able to withstand a large amount of shock from the outside, and gray scale levels can be easily controlled.
Accordingly, to achieve the above object, there is provided an optical waveguide display having an embedded light source, comprising a light source unit comprising a plurality of light sources for generating light according to an applied voltage and an optical waveguide display unit comprising a plurality of optical waveguides on which the light generated by the light source unit is incident, wherein the light sources are aligned to be adjacent to the optical waveguides of the optical waveguide display unit in one panel so that the light generated by the light sources is directly incident on the optical waveguides.
The light source is preferably an electroluminescence light source comprising a phosphor layer for generating light in an electroluminescence, dielectric layers formed on and under the phosphor layer, and electroluminescence electrodes formed on and under the dielectric layers.
Also, the electroluminescence electrodes are preferably formed of a reflective material which reflects light.
Also, the light source is preferably a light emitting diode (LED) which generates light according to the applied voltage.
Also, the edge of the light source is preferably arranged to face the edge of the optical waveguide so that the light emitted from the edge of the light source is incident on the optical waveguide.
Also, the optical waveguide display unit preferably comprises a plurality of optical waveguides on which the light generated by the light sources is incident, a first substrate comprising a first electrode on which the plurality of optical waveguides are arranged and to which a predetermined control voltage is applied, and formed of a material having a refractive index lower than the refractive index of the optical waveguide, for totally internally reflecting the light transmitted to the plurality of optical waveguides, partitions located among the optical waveguides, the partitions having a refractive index lower than the refractive index of the optical waveguide, for totally reflecting the light transmitted to the optical waveguide, light output controllers located on the plurality of optical waveguides and formed of a material whose refractive index changes in response to the application of an electric field, light outputting units located on the light output controllers for refracting or scattering the light which passes through the light output controllers when the electric field is applied to the light output controllers and the refractive index of the light output controllers is increased, and a second substrate formed of a transparent material comprising a second electrode formed of a transparent conductive material which forms the electric field with the first electrode, the second substrate for outputting the light which passes through the light outputting units to the outside.
Also, the plurality of optical waveguides are preferably formed of optical fiber, which has a square edge and does not have any cladding.
Also, the light outputting controller is preferably formed of a liquid crystal layer.
To achieve the above object, there is provided an optical waveguide display having an embedded light source, comprising an optical waveguide display panel comprising a light source unit including a plurality of light sources for generating light according to an applied voltage and an optical waveguide display unit including a plurality of optical waveguides on which light generated by the light source unit is incident, a light source driver for driving the light source unit, a screen driver for driving the optical waveguide display unit, and a signal processing and controlling unit for processing an input video signal and controlling the light source driver and the screen driver, wherein the light sources are aligned to be adjacent to the optical waveguides of the optical waveguide display unit in one panel so that the light generated by the light sources is directly incident on the optical waveguide, the light source driver and the screen driver operate in synchronization with each other, the light source driver controls gray scales, and the screen driver controls selection of pixels.